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Europe Travel: Six things to do in colourful Copenhagen

Nyhavn was quite seedy and housed brothels on the north part of the canal when author Hans Christian Andersen lived there. Now, the historic buildings contain trendy shops and restaurants where patrons enjoy dining outdoors. (Janice Bradbeer / For the toronto star)

COPENHAGEN—Legend has it that the king of Sweden promised the goddess Gefion as much land as she could plow overnight. The practical Scandinavian promptly turned her four sons into oxen and set about accomplishing her herculean task. By the time dawn broke, she had ploughed a sizeable chunk, which she then tossed into the sea. From it sprung the island of Zealand, where Denmark’s capital now sits.

Copenhagen’s ties to the ocean are as strong today as they were in ancient times. Here are six reasons to enjoy this efficiently run, enchanted city of canals and cobblestone streets: from its streamlined public transit system and dedicated cyclists’ lanes to stunning architecture, splendid castles, museums and fairy-tale parks.

A night to remember

Walt Disney was inspired in 1950 to construct Disneyland after visiting Tivoli Gardens in the heart of Copenhagen. Tivoli opened in 1843 and encompasses eight hectares with 1,000 trees and 400,000 summer flowers planted throughout the gardens. It boasts upwards of 40 restaurants, a Chinese-style pantomime theatre, open-air concert stage, amusement park and Denmark’s longest salt-water aquarium. Arrive in the evening when the gardens are lit up with jaw-dropping Chinese lanterns and multi-coloured lights, which truly make it a magical kingdom. Adult admission about $19 Cdn. At Vesterbrogade 3. tivoligardens.com.

Denmark’s smallest heroine

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She’s small in stature but Denmark’s beloved Little Mermaid (Den Lille Havfrue) bronze statue sits tall at 1.25 metres. The heroine of Danish author and poet Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale gazes out over Copenhagen’s harbour. Carl Jacobsen of Carlsberg brewery commissioned the sculpture by Edvard Eriksen; it was unveiled in 1913. After years of the statue being vandalized, the Little Mermaid was moved to her present and safer perch. Langelinie Promenade. copenhagenet.dk/cph-map/cph-mermaid.asp.

The Royal Palace

Amalienborg Slot comprises the four rococo-styled residences of Denmark’s royal family, including a museum, that surround an octagonal cobblestone courtyard. Daily at noon witness the Livgarden (royal guards) walk from Amalienborg Palace to Rosenborg Castle for the Changing of the Guard. Adult fee for museum about $13. Frederiksstaden area. ses.dk/amalienborg.

Prince of a guy

Take a 50-minute train ride north of Copenhagen to the town of Helsingor to Kronborg Slot and the Renaissance castle that inspired Shakespeare’s “Castle of Elsinore” in Hamlet. The UNESCO World Heritage site covers about 16,000 square metres and was built as a fortress in the 15th century. Even during ancient times word got around that the palace of Denmark’s King Federik II was the place to party. A journey beneath the castle takes you to the dank and dark underworld of the casemates where as many as 1,000 soldiers were accommodated on the cobblestone floors for up to six months during a siege. Four types of admission prices from $6 to $19. Town of Helsingor, Elsinore railway station. kronborg.dk.

On your way back to Copenhagen, stop off at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. The impressive gallery exhibits 3,000 pieces of art, including works by Henry Moore, Warhol, Picasso and Kandinsky. Adult admission about $19. Along Strandvejen by the scenic Oresund coast. Humlebaek railway station stop. louisiana.dk.

Park yourself here

Copenhagen is bursting with green space. Where else but in this enchanted city can one lie in the grass with a palace in the background? The Italian-inspired Frederiksberg Slot in Frederiksberg Park was built between 1700 and 1735 and served as the summer home of Frederik IV. The 31.7 hectare park, designed in an English style, is free. Visitors can lounge on the lawns, stroll along the wooded paths, over bridges or contemplate life beside ponds and canals while large mute swans glide by in a setting torn from the pages of a Hans Christian Andersen tale. At Roskildevej 28. http://geolover.com/frederiksberg-park-14b2/

Hip, Hip Hooray

Christiania was founded in 1971 by squatters as a social experiment and now has 900 inhabitants, its own school system and government. The infamous Pusher Street has been shut down and the cannabis trade outlawed in 2004. Visitors are now drawn to Christiania for its palatial location, cafes, marketplace and a chance for a nostalgic trip back in back in time to the hippest days of the ’70s. Borough of Christianshavn. christiania.org.

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